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There's a saying in Sweden that goes "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," and this is usually believed to apply to one's lot in life too. There's no general belief in the ability of the aspiring individual to through his own effort leave his background behind and climb the social ladder, or to successfully pursue his goals. Instead it has to be the government that enables this class journey, and for it to raise you up, it has to have faith in you in person.
This poses the question: Is this really so? Certainly looking at statistics from the last half-a-century or so, one can't find any traces of anything resembling a "Swedish dream," where people lift themselves up by the bootstraps and achieve great success. When I was contemplating just who was the last Swede to do so, multi-dollar billionaire Ingvar Kamprad came to mind, the entrepreneur who founded world-renowned furniture chain IKEA, with a personal fortune of $23 billion according to Forbes magazine, or roughly $65 billion according to Swedish Veckans affärer. Before looking him up, I was largely unfamiliar with his personal background, which as it turns out was quite an affluent one.
Nevertheless, already as a teenager, Kamprad started his business in 1943 – at first not even selling furniture, the endeavour he added a couple of years later in 1947, which would bring him his great success. With the fortune he's made since then, his career must be considered nothing less than an outstanding success. Since then, however, few men or women have followed in the same footsteps. With a brief interlude during the so called Dot-com bubble, few individuals have been able to escape what has to be considered an iron law of Swedish society: You don't become rich unless you inherited the money.
The main question I'm asking myself in this article, however, is what options does a person born into poverty have of leaving it behind? And will children of substance abusers themselves turn to drugs? To whom does the responsibility of getting out of an unwanted life situation belong – the affected individual or the government? There's a field of research called social work which argues that it's government's role to effect this change. Sweden has proceeded far along this path, and has extensive public facilities in place to provide the poor, disabled and ill with their lot in life. Probably more than in any other society, social work here is highly regulated and institutionalized – just what rights and privileges an individual is entitled to is clearly specified, and the country takes pride in formally enabling everyone to live their life to the fullest. It truly looks good on paper.
In practice, however, in spite of massive government resources being channeled to this enterprise, social problems keep on escalating, and few people are able to escape their supposed lot in life. Why is this so? It's my firm belief that the government can never work out the specifics on what an individual needs or should do, and how to accomplish this. It can never give an individual the drive or the self-worth required to make a change. I'm actually a firm believer in that the very efforts society is making are outright counter-productive. The reasons I believe this are mainly these two:
1) By describing problems facing an individual as society's problem, one sends a signal to the individual that his life isn't his own responsibility.
2) By intervening in someone's life and declaring him to be a helpless victim of circumstances, naturally you deprive him of his dignity.
Scholars within social work may discuss "the support the person needs," "the care the person needs" and so on all day long, but it's my firm belief that whatever help the individual can gain from the services, the two factors above make sure nothing will be gained. By stating the individual's lacking ability of acting on his own, it easily becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; there's even something called labeling theory, which discusses how society's treatment of a certain group can come to define it. If you believe in yourself and your own abilities, yet society defines you by the category in which you have been place, for how long can you maintain your own view of yourself? Undoubtedly, being identified as a member of a "weak group" will harm a person's self-esteem, and this is bound to happen when the government states that the group needs government help.
It's true that people not belonging to the group in question may have doubts whether individuals from this group will be able to achieve anything in life, but as long there are no special policies towards the group, those are mere words. "You'll become a drunk just like your dad" are words that shouldn't bother anyone, but having the government intervene in your life due to supposed risk factors is a far more intrusive encroachment of your right to form an identity of your own. Who gave the government the right to put an individual into a certain category.
Sadly, this is where the matter at hand touches upon my own personal experiences. The family I grew up with started out seemingly functional, yet all the three other members of it succumbed to substance abuse during my childhood, so before I had left my teen years behind, I was living with my mother in a house frequented by half the town's bums, and the social services was present in our family life. As the rest of my family was crumbling, I myself was dead set on leaving it behind and not letting it define me. I had not ever been intoxicated or used any narcotics, and this is true still today, so I didn't see why I should be the target of any measures by the social services.
Yet I was. I had a very good self-image, with school being trivial (even though I never put in more effort than to get more than average grades), and I had friends who enjoyed my company. For all I could see, I had a perfectly functional life and was not failing in any area. The social services didn't see it that way, however. Though I was dismissive of even attending meetings with them, my mother having to plead with me to come along, they definitely took an interest in me. For me, everything was perfectly clear: I didn't have any serious flaws, being in a missbrukarfamilj (Swedish for family of substance abusers) didn't define me, I needed no help, I simply wanted to be left alone in my life. Apparently from the very first meeting with them, they, however, started identifying pathology in me. After moving out of my mother's apartment, the social services followed me for some two years, making up ever more disabilities that I was supposedly suffering from – not making any actual tests to truly establish that I was, but more or less simply writing down their subjective observations in their journal.
According to them, I couldn't relate to people, I couldn't keep time, I lacked social skills and I couldn't manage a job (they decided that without ever having witnessed me at work, my work experience at that point being limited to a couple of summer jobs). Needless to say, communication between me and them didn't work at all, with me simply wanting them to get lost. They kept pursuing me, however, over and over attempting to get me to receive the care I "needed," in accordance with the directives on their operations. When I refused to go along, they often became infuriated and harassed me for it. This was the worst thing that had ever happened to me back then, or that has happened to me since – it felt like a rape on my identity, when they attempted to convince me I was disabled and needed to be in their programs. It was humiliating to have them interfere in my life, and it made me feel embarrassed – which I'm sad to say came to define me, even though our family's problems had not.
As I've learned lately after in depth having studied Sweden's social policies over the last century, this is all part of a care ideology where one believes the individual is helpless to overcome his own lot without the government's help. One of the ideological dogmas have been the idea that society can and should identify problems as early on as possible in a person's life, condemning that person to a bleak future if he doesn't get the "necessary" care and support. For quite a few, this policy has resulted in the government taking them from their biological homes and placing them in institutions, without their parents' consent. If the child or youth "in need of care" doesn't comply with the measures, this can mean placement at a ungdomshem, a facility for juvenile offenders where they get to live alongside the worst criminals imaginable – murderers, rapists and such. Placement here doesn't require any actual crime having been committed, but can be legally justified with the behaviour of the minor.
Reading a book (Vård av ungdomar med sociala problem – en forskningsöversikt) on the research that has been done within the realm of care of minors with social problems, I came across some really interesting statistics. A researcher named Sarnecki had studied 749 individuals placed at juvenile facilities in Stockholm during the early 90's; he had divided them into five groups depending on their characteristics: the crime profile, the substance abuse profile, the mental illness profile, the sexual problems profile and "profile group 0," for the ones not matching any other category. This last group constituted no less than one third of the institutionalized minors, even though it was quite hard to make out just why they had been placed. The group had not committed any crimes to speak of, didn't abuse drugs or do anything destructive or disruptive. They had been placed with such reasons as "emotional disorder," "problems in school" etc, vague justifications for being deprived of one's liberty.
What they had in common with the other groups was the social inheritance, however. Though they had not failed in life so far, their parents had. They had parents in prisons, on welfare and such, though the parents had still managed to raise these children well enough to so far not end up the same way; it was noted that the parents had successfully set boundaries for their children's behaviour.
Then the government intervened, and the children found themselves placed with the worst sort of juvenile delinquents, out of reach of their parents. During the follow-up two years later, "profile group 0" was as involved in crime as the crime profile group, and their future now looked bleak. Ah, how the system ruined their parents' efforts at giving them a chance at a better life than they themselves had enjoyed. For research data on the dismal outlook of children taken into care, see this blog post.
Interestingly enough, there's plenty of data that suggests that people with a bad start in life can still recover on their own. Research quoted elsewhere in afore-mentioned book mentions that
Rutter M. (1985) "Resilience in the Face of Adversity. Protective Factors and Resistance to Psychiatric Disorder", British Journal of Psychiatry 145:598-611
shows that internationally, some 50% of these children can still do well in life, and
Garbarino J. etc (1992) "Children in danger. Coping with the Consequences of Community Violence"
suggests that as large a portion as 80% can do so. Though this article is naturally not an exhaustive study, you get the impression that children are generally better off not being "saved" by the government. Indeed, there are many accounts out there of orphans and such have used their bad start to push themselves harder to succeed. Some have been condemned to fail due to the social group they belong to, and some even based on how they've performed in school, yet they've still found their own niches in life in which they can be successful. You certainly don't see any inescapable curse of social inheritance. What you do however see is the government intentionally creating the very problems it pretends to solve.
To sum it up – I consider the Swedish social services an outright abomination, and I don't believe it should fall upon the state to raise children. I also believe people should be responsible for their own lives, and not rescued from the mess they themselves have made out of these lives.


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Jacques Pepin, host of Fast Food My Way, and John Baricelli of Everyday Baking from Everyday Food hosted cooking demos, with Pepin demonstrating curing salmon and Barricelli giving tips on making mini raspberry tarts. Meanwhile, Lidia Bastianich, host of Lidia's Italy, signed copies of her newest cookbook and greeted fans.
The event also brought together some of the biggest names in the local food and wine scene. Guests were able to sample fine Italian meats and cheeses courtesy of DiPalo Selects of Little Italy, and then move on to hot dishes from CoolFish Grille & Wine Bar of Syosset, Stone Creek Inn of the Hamptons, and city restaurants Industria Argentina and Centrico.
They could also sample baked goods from Barricelli's SoNo Baking Company of South Norwalk, as well as several quality wines from all over Europe and South America.
Barricelli is relatively new to the television food scene, but Pepin and Bastianich have been cooking on the small screen for years. Pepin actually co-hosted a show with Julia Child, the queen of television cooking, while Bastianich got her start in the trade after an impressive guest appearance on the legend's show.
Pepin said that the whole culture surrounding food has changed, and that people nowadays are more knowledgeable about cooking, as well as using quality ingredients.
"When I first came to America, I went to D'Agostino's, a fine supermarket in Manhattan, and asked for mushrooms. They told me Aisle 5, where the canned goods were kept," Pepin, who hails from France, recalled. "You had to go to a specialty market just to buy common white mushrooms."
Bastianich said that the whole world of television cooking has changed, and not necessarily for the better.
"There's a lot more buffoonery now," she said in between signing books for fans. "When I was cooking with Julia it was a lot more about educating and communicating with the viewer."
Both Pepin and Bastianich said that part of the key to their success is, in fact, that they aren't trying to be actors, but have a genuine love of cooking that comes across to the viewers.
"We aren't actors, we can be only one thing," said Pepin, who has hosted several different series but said they were all very similar in nature. "I can't change who I am."
Bastianich went so far as to film her series Lidia's Kitchen in her own kitchen in her home in Douglaston.
"I told them that I had to do it in my own kitchen," she said. "If I am going to be talking and cooking, I need to know where everything is."
Lidia's family moved from Italy to New Jersey in 1958, where they stayed for six months before moving to Queens, where she has been ever since. She said growing up in such a diverse borough with strong immigrant communities enabled her to keep alive the cuisine from her homeland, adding that often times she was able to find speciality ingredients in the immigrant enclaves in Queens long before the markets of Manhattan carried them.
"I think growing up in Queens kept me in a very family mode," she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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I wish people would spend as much time reading my scientific papers as they do reading my e-mails. – Professor Phil Jones, CRU, University Of East Anglia, 'BBC Q&A', 13 Feb 2010
Over Christmas I had a frank discussion with two older relatives, both over 60, about Climate Change. They believe or pretend to believe that Climate Change is a crock for a number of spurious reasons typical of the anti-AGW denialist crowd. I see them as willing victims of popular media and popular political parties.
What makes them willing victims is their lifelong antipathy to the Green movement which has become an inaliable part of their identity. It is virtually impossible for these particular over-60's to admit the Green's might be correct about anything because to do so would force them to admit that they (the said over-60's) were incorrect – which would be a massive affront to their pride, let alone their semi-religious belief in the superlative brilliance of the Capitalist economic system – which defeated the heretical Communist movement in the heroic good vs. evil struggle of the Cold War.
Admitting the Greens might be right is tantamount to admitting that their over-60's Capitalist religion might be wrong. Which is unthinkable and undoable.
Existential Death
As I brilliantly summarized in another post, AGW is a death threat to Capitalism as a doctrinal system.
For those who have fully invested themselves into the belief that Capitalism is the best of all political systems, the possibility that it might be invalidated by any consideration is deeply emotionally and psychologically unsettling. That a Green cause, Climate Change, might be the proximate cause of the invalidation of Capitalism is, for the true believers, literally unthinkable, because Green Parties have always been regarded by them as hypocritical, irrational and unrealistic.
The death of Capitalism for so many represents a death of self, because of the intensity of their belief in the Capitalist system.
No-one wants to die.
So AGW must be denied
Both of my rels bought up the so-called East Anglia ClimateGate emails as proof of the unreliability of Climate Science. I cobbled together a short email of my own to refute their prejudices about the CRU which I now reproduce here.
My rebuttal material is fundamentally an extended plagiarism from the brilliant pro-AGW hypothesis web site Skeptical Science.
The East Anglia 'ClimateGate' emails were a beat up, pure and simple.
Quite simply there was nothing in the emails that contradicted or undermined the AGW hypothesis.
The emails and associated hysterical commentary were released to the public a few weeks before Copenhagen with the intention of derailing those talks. The emails were released publicly in conjunction with a coordinated media strategy on approx 20 November 2009. The Copenhagen Climate Conference commenced 6 December 2009.
The strategy of the Climategate/Anti-AGW crowd was to throw mud at the reputations of the climatologists associated with University of East Anglia's (UEA) Climatic Research Unit (CRU) and thus run an argument against AGW/IPCC based on guilt-by-association of the entire climatological community.
The specific accusations against the climatologists located the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) are confected from quotes in the emails which are divorced of their context and then loaded with meanings not intended by the email authors.
Where The Heck Is Global Warming?
The Blog "New American" is typical of the tone.
For example, 'New American' quotes climatoligist Kevin Trenberth as writing
"I have my own article on where the heck is global warming? We are asking that here in Boulder… The fact is that we can't account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a travesty that we can't."
And goes on to claim that that Trenberth's comments constitute an admission that Climatoligists know that AGW is not real.
In fact, Trenberth was commenting on the inability of the Climate Models to predict exactly how heat is transferred through the Earth's major systems (Land, Sea and Atmosphere) i.e. the mechanism by which the Earth's total heat energy is distributed.
Trenberth was NOT saying that AGW is not real, that the average global temperature of the Earth was declining, that the Climate Models don't accurately predict global warming, that C02 does not produce long-term warming or anything else that would contradict the AGW hypothesis.
Hide The Decline
Another infamous assertion of the ClimateGate crew was that Climatologist Phillip Jones admitted to falsifying temperature trends.
In an email dated 16/11/1999, Jones wrote:
I've just completed Mike's Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) and from 1961 for Keith's to hide the decline."
Jones was not hiding anything.
In this email Jones is referring to a temperature proxy record known as Maximum Latewood Density (MXD) in which Earth's historic temperature is derived by examination of tree-rings. Up until 1961 MXD accurately trends to actual temperatures as measured by instrumental data (weather stations). After that it diverges (declines) from the instrumental record. This 'decline', known as 'The Divergence Problem' has been discussed openly in the Scientific Literature since at least 1998.
In 1999 Jones produced a graph for the World Meteorological Organisation in which he spliced post 1961 instrumental data onto the tree-ring proxy data up until 1961 to produce a composite graph which 'hides the decline'. His audience of professional climatologists who read the graph knew exactly what he was doing, which Jones openly stated anyway.
'New American', Fox News, The Australian and others of their ilk did not even try to understand what Jones's graph was for, who it was intended for or what it meant. Even though Jones 1999 graph was never used by the IPCC (it was for the WMO), they just reported 'IPCC Scientist Hides Declining Temperature Data' and that therefore IPCC findings are falsified and unreliable.
The blog 'American Thinker' offers a relatively sophisticated critique of 'Hide The Decline' from an anti-AGW perspective but uses the word 'Gotcha' over and over again, not realising the decline or divergence has been known all across the Climatology field for decades.
Noting the divergence post-1961 American Thinker says the MXD series should be completely abandoned as a proxy temperature series but may not realise that from 1980 Solar Output levels also decline or diverge from instrumental record data.
To be consistent American Thinker should also advocate that the IPCC abandon Solar Output as a predictor or proxy record of Earth temperature. Of course no-one in their right mind would do so. Plainly both series become bad predictors of temperature at different points for different reasons. For MXD it is probably air pollution, for Solar Output the most likely thing ( > 95% according to the IPCC) is that human-generated C02 is causing a greenhouse effect.
Perverting Peer Review.
A serious allegation of the anti=AGW crowd was that CRU and the IPCC generally pressure journals to drop anti-AGW articles so that only pro-AGW articles get printed in the scientific literature.
The oft-quoted example is the journal Climate Research which published a very weak paper in 2003 by Soon and Baliunas. Jones wrote:
"I will be emailing the journal to tell them I'm having nothing more to do with it until they rid themselves of this troublesome editor, a well-known skeptic in NZ."
So, say the anti-AGW crowd, this proves that anti-AGW views are silenced. What the anti-AGW crew do not say is that a number of Climate Research's own editors resigned over the publication of the paper, that the journal's publisher admitted that the journal should have requested appropriate revisions of the manuscript prior to publication and that the Editor in Chief resigned on being refused permission by the publisher to write an editorial about what he regarded as a failure of the peer review system in place at the journal.
The anti-AGW paper by Soon and Baliunas was substandard. It should never have been published.
Destroying Data
A common charge against the IPCC and the CRU is that it destroyed or falsified temperature data. In fact this is impossible to do since the CRU does not own the temperature data. It collects its data from publicly available sources and anyone can get hold of it.
And as it turns out, the CRU temperature series, HadCRUT indicates one of the lowest global warming trends of any temperature series. Why falsify temperature data to make a lower than average assessment of climate change yet still argure Climate Change is a globally critical phenonemon demanding immediate action ?
We Could Continue
On a case-by-case basis every one of the attacks on the CRU can be shown to be absurd hyperbole. You can find a full rebuttal here
Unfortunately, the popular press is not very interested in Science, only controversy, and some papers such The Australian and some news outlets like Fox News are deliberately setting out to derail a sensible response to the problem of Climate Change. For ecample The Australian published no less than 85 stories about Climategate, but not one about the Muir Russell inquiry which cleared the CRU of any wrong doing.
So, Climategate is a beat up or, as Skeptical Science puts it, a 'fake scandal'. Any reasonable consideration of the evidence shows that the CRU emails do not in any way undermine the AGW hypothesis.


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Friday, September 16, 2005
Yeah, actually, the country is founded based on protecting the rights of the minority. I think James Madison said something about that in the Federalist Papers... And schools do not prevent discussion/arguments on religious topics, but the idea is, you can't FORCE someone to be subjected to a government sponsored/encouraged religion, which the pledge does. (The last time I checked, who discusses the pledge, anyway? Don't we just recite it like a bunch of retarded lemmings?) Anyway, the whole argument is retarded because that crap wasn't even added until 1954, so why not just tell Ike, Communism is over, we're not fighting "godless people" anymore.
Posted by Leila at 10:01 PM
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A brand new feature that helps the visually impaired experience their favorite television shows and movies was just demonstrated for the first time in Miami by the blind Comcast executive who helped develop it.
Tom Wlodkowski was born completely blind – but that has never stopped him from enjoying television or movies. When he became Vice President of Accessibility for Comcast Cable three years ago, he began leading the company's efforts to make its products more accessible to those with disabilities.
Wlodkowski was the driving force behind the creation of Comcast's Talking Guide, the industry's first voice-enable television interface. He demonstrated the guide and unveiled its brand new Spanish version on Thursday, November 12 at the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind's "See the Light Luncheon" at the Riviera Country Club in Coral Gables.
"As someone who was born blind, I have always thought of technology as a great equalizer," said Wlodkowski. "We want to create opportunities for people who love film and television, but who might not have the opportunity to experience it to its fullest."
The "Talking Guide" is a feature on the X1 platform that reads aloud selections like program titles, network names and time slots as well as DVR and On Demand settings, giving users the freedom to independently explore and navigate thousands of shows and movies.
With the latest update to make the feature bilingual, the Talking Guide is now available for South Florida customers who would prefer to hear program information in Spanish. Comcast estimates this offering is now available to 6 million Hispanic households in its service areas across the nation.
Earlier this year, Comcast partnered with the Miami Lighthouse to bring this new technology to more people who could use it across South Florida. The Talking Guide was installed at the Lighthouse and incorporated into the organization's training curriculum.
"By bringing the talking guide to as many people as possible, we can help to bridge that gap and make entertainment just as compelling, captivating and fun for people with a visual disability as it is for anyone else," said Wlodkowski.
During his presentation, Wlodkowski also showed the audience "Emily's Oz," the national award-winning advertisement campaign Comcast launched during the 2015 Academy Awards to highlight how people with disabilities enjoy entertainment. The commercial features a seven-year-old girl named Emily who was born blind and highlights her description of what she sees when she watches her favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz™.


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SACRAMENTO (AP) — In response to a federal court order, Gov. Jerry Brown pushed a novel approach through the Legislature two years ago to dramatically reduce California's prison population.
People convicted of felonies that were considered non-violent, non-sexual and non-serious would serve their sentences in county jails rather than state prisons. Once released, they would be supervised by local probation officers instead of state parole agents.
The shift in California's penal system, referred to as "realignment," is one of the nation's largest criminal justice experiments and has done its job in at least one respect: The population in the state's 33 adult prisons has dropped so much that the system now ranks second to Texas in the number of inmates, even though Texas has 12 million fewer residents.
But the change has not come without criticism.
Many law enforcement officials, victims' rights groups and Republican lawmakers say crime has increased because of Brown's realignment law, as the wave of new inmates arriving in some county jails is leading to overcrowded conditions and the early release of dangerous felons.
Advocacy groups seized on preliminary FBI crime statistics to argue both sides of the issue.
Though still low in comparison to previous decades, property and violent crimes increased in 40 of California's 69 largest cities in the first six months of 2012, the largest such increase in 20 years, and the Sacramento-based Criminal Justice Legal Foundation said realignment is clearly to blame.
But the San Francisco-based Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice said violent crime rates dropped in five counties that received a lion's share of the lower-level offenders who previously would have gone to state prisons, showing that counties can handle the influx without a corresponding rise in crime.
The law's opponents have highlighted individual cases such as a parole violator on early release who beat his girlfriend so badly she suffered brain damage and another charged with raping and killing his 76-year-old grandmother.
Inmates who serve time in county jails often are not being monitored at all after being set free, and the number of paroled sex offenders who are fugitives rose 15 percent after Brown's realignment law took effect. Moreover, the law firms that previously sued the state are now targeting counties for the same conditions that led to a federal court takeover of some state prison operations, oversight that has cost the state billions of dollars.
An expert who has been studying the prisoner shift, Stanford University law professor Joan Petersilia, said the policy is serving as a national experiment about whether prison populations can be reduced significantly without posing a threat to public safety.
More than 100,000 offenders have been affected by the law, which took effect in October 2011. More than $2 billion has been allocated by the state to help local governments handle their new responsibilities, while another $1.7 billion in state bonds is going to build more county jail space.
For all the upheaval, the frustration for Brown is that the shift of tens of thousands of prisoners still has not been enough to satisfy the panel of three federal judges.
The state had no choice but to reduce prison crowding after the judges ruled that it was the primary cause of unconstitutionally poor inmate medical and mental health care. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2011, forcing the state to reduce its state inmate population.
The realignment law is responsible for reducing the state prison population by 25,000 inmates, to about 119,000. Yet the federal courts say another 9,300 must go by year's end and have threatened to hold Brown in contempt if he doesn't comply.
California prisons now hold 43,000 fewer inmates than they did at their peak in 2006 — a 25 percent drop. The inmate reduction is larger than the entire prison populations of 42 other states, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics figures.
"That's a historic change," said Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard, who took over California's system in January after heading Pennsylvania's prison system for nearly a decade. "It's huge. Nobody else in the nation has done that."
But the realignment law, known as Assembly Bill 109, has emboldened Republicans, the state's minority party. It passed without GOP support, and now those lawmakers are taking an I-told-you-so approach as they seek legislation to repeal or overhaul it.
"In every county of this state, citizens of California have suffered and been victimized by the AB109ers, as we call them," Republican state Sen. Jim Nielsen, who once headed the state's parole board, said during a recent Capitol news conference. "I'll argue (that) no bill ever passed by this Legislature has had more dire and severe and egregious consequences."
Some Democratic state lawmakers also say several problems need to be fixed, even as they support the overall goal of moving more offenders closer to rehabilitation services in the communities where they committed their crimes.
"I don't think you need to be seen as a bomb-thrower to be saying realignment, AB109, warrants tweaking," said freshman Assemblyman Ken Cooley, a Democrat from suburban Sacramento who is the author of two bills that would send some criminals back to state prisons instead of placing them in county jails. "I think that's the public policy conversation in California at this moment."
Much of the focus has been on two areas: the increase in long-term inmates now housed in jails, which were designed for short stays; and the ability of paroled sex offenders in some overburdened counties to remove their satellite-linked tracking devices with impunity.
Sheriffs and attorneys representing inmates' welfare say the long-term inmates are aggravating problems in overcrowded jails, where officials already were having trouble providing services to inmates with mental or physical illnesses or disabilities.
An Associated Press analysis earlier this year of figures from the state corrections department showed a nearly 60 percent increase in the number of warrants issued for fugitive paroled sex offenders under realignment.
Offenders now have less incentive to behave because the realignment law reduced the penalty for removing or disabling their ankle bracelets. Before, parole violators could have been sent back to state prison for up to a year. Now they can be sentenced to up to six months in county jails, but many are released within days because local jails are overcrowded.
Brown has said he is open to "tweaking" the law. But he also has said it is a responsible middle ground between the federal judges who want fewer criminals in the state's prisons and critics who say the state has gone too far.
"I think it's the boldest move in criminal justice in decades," Brown said, "and it's long overdue."
SACRAMENTO (AP) — In response to a federal court order, Gov. Jerry Brown pushed a novel approach through the Legislature two years ago to dramatically reduce California's prison population.


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Santa Lucia, the only country named after a woman
St. Lucia in the Caribbean stands out as the only country in the world named after a woman. According to legend, the island's first residents settled there after their ship got wrecked on December 13. As December 13 is celebrated as Saint Lucy's Day in Europe, the first settlers named the island after her to honor Saint Lucy.
It is known that Saint Lucy had been born in the 3rd century as a daughter of a noble family in Sicily. Her mother had arranged a marriage with the son of a rich Pagan family. Lucy, dedicating her life to help people did not want to marry; she distributed her inheritance and helped the poor.
The Emperor viewed her benevolent activities for the poor as an insult to the Empire and condemned her to death. Narratives vary according to the source, however one thing that is constant is that Lucy's benevolence and complete dedication set an example to the whole world.
Ciudad Evita, the city of Eva Peron
Ciudad Evita located in Greater Buenos Aires is accepted as a National Historic Monument of Argentina. With a population of 70 thousand, the city is named after Argentina's legendary First Lady, Eva Peron. Eva was born to a poor family in the village of Los Toldos. She moved to the capital, Buenos Aires, when she was 15 years old and began her career as an artist.
In 1944, at an aid event for earthquake victims in San Juan, she met with Colonel Juan Peron and married him the next year. Juan Peron, endeavoring hard to improve the condition of laborers, became the Prime Minister in 1946 and elected two more times consecutively.
Overcoming all challenges facing her, Eve Peron led the establishment of Women's suffrage in Argentina. She gave support to labor unions, worked actively for women's rights, organized aid campaigns for children and helped the poor. Being much loved by the people of Argentina, she was nicknamed "Evita" meaning "Little Eva". Eva Peron, became a legend worldwide as the protector of women's and laborer's rights.
Hart County, eternizing the heroism of a woman
Hart County in the state of Georgia takes its name after Nancy Hart, a prominent figure during the American War of Independence. The region was named after Hart to honor a tough and skilled war hero.
During the Revolution, English soldiers came to Hart's house and demanded from her to cook Turkey. Hart, cooking what they wanted, seized the opportunity as the soldiers left their weapons outside the dining hall, and removed their weapons. Afterwards Hart took the eating soldiers hostage and subdued the ones trying to fight back.
The stories told about Nancy Hart have not been confirmed with documents yet. However a region was named after this heroic woman.
Terezin, the town bearing the name of an empress
The town of Terezin, one hour ride from Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, is named after the Empress Maria Theresia. Reigning for 40 years, Maria Theresia was a member of the Habsburg Dynasty and the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions. By her marriage with Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, she was also the empress of the Holy Roman Empire.
As one of the most powerful women of her era, Maria Theresa promulgated financial and educational reforms, promoted commerce and the development of agriculture, and reorganized the military strengthening Austria.
The town of Terezin, named after a powerful woman like this was converted to a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Although this later infamy of the town led to the forgetting of Theresia's name, yet her achievements were engraved to history.


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July 31, 1859: Theobald Smith is born. "Theobald Smith (July 31, 1859 – December 10, 1934) was a pioneering epidemiologist and pathologist and is widely-considered to be America's first internationally-significant medical research scientist."
"Theobald Smith recognized the multiple applications of microbiology but was far keener on its contribution to sanitation, public health, and preventive medicine than to veterinary medicine and agriculture. From 1886 to 1895, he gave an annual course in bacteriology at the National Medical College, and in 1887 he began research in his spare time on water sanitation. Bacterial counts of samples from the Potomac River from a laboratory tap culminated 5 years later in surveys of the Hudson River and tributaries, with the coliform count (verified by his "fermentation tube" method) indicating the degree of fecal pollution."
Commentary: He was also responsible for inventing the fermentation tube that to this day is called the Smith Tube. Theobald Smith was certainly the "Father of the total coliform test."
Reference: Dolman, C.E. 1984. "Theobald Smith, 1859-1934: A Fiftieth Anniversary Tribute." ASM News. 50:12 577-80.


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Behind bars: High-living scammer pleads guilty
For the local victims of Will Morrell, his December 18 arrest by federal marshals and subsequent transfer to North Carolina, where he'll be sentenced for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, may bring some relief.
"If he's not going to be a man of his word, and he's going to cheat people, he needs to be in jail," says Margaret Jackson, whose dealings with Morrell were detailed in the May 29 Hook cover story, "Unhappy Camper."
Jackson met Morrell back in October 2002, when he was an exercise instructor at ACAC and she had just quit smoking after 37 years.
"He was so wonderful," Jackson recalls of that early meeting. "He was very nice looking, warm, charming, and personable– he'd look you right in the eye."
Morrell encouraged Jackson to pursue her dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail and eventually offered to arrange a low-interest loan of $150,000 to help cover her expenses during the hike and after, when she planned to write a book about the experience.
Jackson quit her job as a graphic designer, spent all her savings on camping equipment and trail gear, and prepared to start her hike in March 2003. But the money Morrell promised never arrived, and Jackson soon realized she'd been tricked.
Last spring, Jackson sued Morrell for her $750 initial investment. Morrell did not appear for the June 10 court date, and a judgment was entered against him.
But even as the district court docket swelled with new Morrell cases, luxury-loving Morrell and his wife still had loyal friends who believed that they were getting a bad rap. Sandy MacGregor, owner of MacGregor antiques, stood up for her one-time neighbors.
"In the 30 years I've lived here," MacGregor said in May, "I've never had neighbors like them," describing how Morrell carried antiques inside for her and his wife Jenny baked her goodies.
MacGregor also reported a successful investment with Morrell and said she had offered him a line of credit at her store, MacGregor Antiques, without incident.
When informed of his recent arrest, MacGregor declined comment for this story.
But back in August, even Jackson was willing to give Morrell the benefit of the doubt. He showed up at her new place of employment and handed her $100– the first step, he allegedly told her, in making things right.
Jackson's hopes were high. "All I wanted was an apology from him and an effort to give me my money," she says.
But she never saw Morrell again– or the rest of the money he owed her.
Jackson wasn't the only local to have a Morrellian run-in. Wallace Gibson rented the Morrells the spacious house at 914 Rugby Road (once owned by William Faulkner) for a cool $3,200 per month. Even after the Morrells fell several months behind in rent, they refused to downsize to more affordable quarters. Gibson had to go to court to have the family evicted after rent payments turned into promises. To this day, Gibson says, she has not received $8,000 of the award she won against the Morrells in Charlottesville District Court.
Between the Circuit and General District Courts, from early 2002 to the present, Morrell amassed judgments in about 15 civil cases and six criminal cases. Five other criminal charges were never prosecuted. His wife, Jenny Morrell, has racked up her own list of civil judgments– for the Rugby Road rent and for unpaid debts.
And the cases are still rolling in. A January 22 hearing is scheduled for Will Morrell for "defrauding hotels/motels for more than $200" and for failing to appear at a felony hearing.
As it turns out, Morrell, who briefly sold cars at Pegasus following his eviction from the Rugby Road house, had been wreaking havoc on people's lives and finances across state lines for some time.
On November 20, 2002–just one month after he first promised Jackson the large loan for her hike– Morrell pled guilty in an Asheville, North Carolina, court to conspiracy to defraud the United States government. The charge was based on Morrell's operation of an allegedly bogus company called Global Strategies, which Morrell and his unnamed accomplices described to potential clients as a venture capital firm. Morrell would elicit a deposit from the "client" to secure a low-interest loan. The catch: The loan would never come through.
A court-approved document detailing Morrell's guilty plea issued by the United States attorney in Asheville shows that between December 1997 and March 2001, Morrell was able to convince a company called Personal & Child Safety LLC to deposit $100,000 in a Global Strategies account with the promise of a low-interest $2 million loan. A second individual investor gave up $6,250 to Global Strategy, believing it was the first step toward receiving $500,000 in investment capital. Neither the company nor the individual saw a loan, or any of the deposits, again.
So how did it become a federal case?
Morrell used the United States mail to perpetrate these crimes, says Asheville, North Carolina-based U.S. attorney Richard Edwards. Edwards will be handling Morrell's North Carolina sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
As for the January 22 criminal hearing in Charlottesville District Court, it's unlikely Morrell will appear, since general federal policy is to keep criminals in federal custody until the hearing process is complete.
As of January 12, Morrell remained in the custody of U.S. marshals but had not yet arrived in Asheville for a "status of counsel" hearing, scheduled because he does not have an attorney, according to the Buncombe County federal court clerk's office. A spokesperson at the Charlottesville branch of the U.S. Marshal's office says Morrell may currently be at the Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, based in Oklahoma City, awaiting transport to Asheville.
If he is unable to afford an attorney, the federal government will appoint one to handle his sentence, says attorney Edwards. The maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge is five years in a federal prison and $250,000.
Once his federal sentencing is handled, any state in which Morrell committed a crime may begin (or continue) its own legal process against him. Since Morrell has been found guilty of a variety of criminal offenses in Charlottesville, he may be brought back to town to have those punishments enforced.
Charlottesville's Commonwealth Attorney Dave Chapman says the city will have to determine whether paying for Morrell's eventual transportation back to Virginia to stand trial for the local offenses is a "good use of taxpayers' money."
In the meantime, Margaret Jackson has made her peace with the situation... literally. Although she wasn't able to salvage her AT hike for the immediate future, she says she will be taking a lengthy trip: as a Peace Corps volunteer.
"I don't know where I'll be going yet," says Jackson, "but I can't wait."


text: I like to do realistic drawing especially when it comes to colored pencil. Occasionally I will do painting but colored pencil is preferred. I also do photography and like to photograph things in nature. I believe that the world around us is naturally beautiful and doesn't need to be doctored in any way.


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Two of the symptoms that I experienced well before I was diagnosed with MS have gotten much more pronounced since my Dx. We rarely hear about them, though many of us know them all too well. I thought today might be a good time to bring them out of the shadows into the light of day.
The first is Malar-Glossal Fusion (Tongue In Cheek disorder) and the other from which I suffer is Humerous Ocular Ater (Black Sense of Humor Disease). Yup, I make them up but it's true; but the longer I live with MS the more I see the dark sense of humor in my life and my tongue is most assuredly implanted firmly in my cheek!
Using these right deadly symptoms I have come up with the below list of observations about living a life with MS, to wit the humorously dark side of MS.
You know you've had MS too long if…
- You've ever had to explain that you are not one of "Jerry's Kids
- You see the absurdity of the term "progression"
- You can spell Tysabri
- You can pronounce Mitoxantrone
- You know the 'taste' of IV Methylprednisolone
- Training wheels don't seem like a bad idea
- You have a collection of canes; which you try not to use
- You've been granted a disabled parking pass… and refuse to use it
- Seasons are now "Walk", "Gala Dinner", "Bike" & "Luncheon"
- You know what glatiramer acetate is
- You see your neurologist at least as often as your primary care doc
- Your neurologist is your primary care doc
- "CAM" is not something on your car
- You have at least 3 ways to describe "fatigue"
- Your parents can lap you… at just about EVERYTHING
- Friend have thinned, but Friendships have deepened
- You've been told "you look so good" more than when ever before
- Random people feel the need to tell you about a cure
- You know how to handle the Handicapped Parking Vigilantes
- "How are you doing?" is accompanied by That look
- You know what Cat Stevens "Moonshadow" really means
- "Spasicity" has nothing to do with The Revenge Of The Nerds
- Like me, you'd rather laugh about it than cry about it…
I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has (or could come up with) a list like this. Please feel free to jump in with your witty, snarky, sharpened and darkly shaded thoughts.
I am, as always, wishing you and your family the best of health.
Don't forget that you can also follow me via our Life With MS Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/LifeWithMS), on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/TrevisGleason, and our new group on MS Connection.org (http://www.msconnection.org/Groups/Life_With_MS). Check out our occasional blog for the UK (http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-support/community-blog) and look for our Very Special new monthly blog for the National MS Society (http://blog.nationalmssociety.org/2012/01/2012-resolved-to-speak-of-unspeakable.html)
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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The complete chemical solution for your above ground pool.
This kit contains all you need to maintain crystal clear water in your pool, and prevents algae growth and skin and eye irritation. The kit comes with both chlorine granules and tablets. The tablets are placed in a floating dispenser allowing them to dissolve slowly giving a constant small dose of chlorine. The granules are used to shock the water if it has gone off after being left or heavy usage.This kit contains algaecide to prevent algae build up and sparkle flocculant to keep your pool water crystal clear.
Specifications of the Chemical Starter Kit with dispenser (SP816)
Suitable for pools exceeding 15ft in diameter
2.5 kg stabilised chlorine granules
5 kg stabilised chlorine tablets
1 kg pH plus
1.5 kg pH minus
One Large floating dispenser
4 way free chlorine test strips (50 strips)
Laminated instructions on how to look after your pool
2.5 litre Algaecide
1 litre Sparkle Flocculant
Additional Information
|Total Pools
We trust Total Pool Chemicals to supply our customers with top quality products based on their expertise gained, not only in swimming pool management, but also the chemical industry. A swimming pool plant room contains three of the basic elements of all chemical processes - fluid transfer, filtration and chemical reactions. Managing these functions is a chemical engineering challenge and Total Pool Chemicals has two graduate chemical engineers dedicated to this work. This expertise led to the development of the patented Poolcure chemical system that is used in many of the largest leisure pools in the UK to eliminate combined chlorines.
FREE NEXT WORKING DAY DELIVERY* - This item is despatched free of charge on a next working day service to England, Wales and parts of Scotland. Orders received before 3pm will be despatched the same day. Other areas will have a delivery surcharge (dependent on the postcode) added automatically during checkout.
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* Free next day delivery applies to non-surcharge areas only.


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Step-by-step drawing guide of Kakashi's face
- From: Naruto anime;
- Steps: 13.
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All the drawings on this website are made just for you guys! That's why it is important for me what tutorials you want to see next.
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Details here. One reason to sign Smith, as Tom Silverstein pointed out yesterday and Greg Bedard reiterated today, is that both Nick Collins and Atari Bigby will be unrestricted free agents after this season — if the Packers don't extend them before then.
Smith Signed
4 Responses to "Smith Signed"
Cindy V Says:
March 7, 2009 at 12:25 am |
Yeah! The Packers finally made a move in free agency.
56Coop Says:
March 7, 2009 at 1:07 pm |
Yes Cindy he finally did make a move. From what I can gather Smith has a ton of talent but tends to not be too sharp from a mental standpoint–
Hopefully he will be coachable. Also, considering Bigsby & Collins will be UFA's next year (I think) I hope thay don't look at this negatively. I'm sure TT feels he got him at a pretty good price. If they can get his head in the game it'll be good to have some depth. I hope Bigby gets healthy and comes back with some more big hits like in 2007. Of course, those big hits may tend to leave him "unhealthy" more so than not.
It's pretty obvious I'm not a big TT fan but I'll take this one as a positive; for now anyway.
Ron La Canne Says:
March 7, 2009 at 1:35 pm |
And now they bring in Kevin Carter (Miami 36 yrs. old), for a look. Hey, I'll take it. At least it's one of the positions they should be focusing on this year. Signing a back up Safety doesn't send chills up my leg, to paraphrase wome lunnie from msnbc. UFA for the Safety twins is next year's problem. The pathetic front seven is this years problem.
The goal should be win in 2009 not 2011.
Ron La Canne Says:
March 8, 2009 at 10:19 am |
And now thanks to TT, Ballz, Ryan Grant and Bret Favre, Tramon Williams' agent says he will not report to training camps until he has a new contract. He played a few good games and now he's Deon Sanders?


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Mary Washington "Mamie" Langford, daughter of Mary Virginia Knight and William E. Langford, was born August 5, 1883. She married John Shaw on November 18, 1917. The wedding ceremony was performed by primitive baptist pastor Aaron Anderson Knight.
John Sheffield Shaw was born October 6, 1885 in the Lois community just west of Ray City, GA, a son of William S. Shaw and Mary Parrish Shaw. After his mother died in 1906 and father died in 1907 he lived with his divorced sister, Alice Shaw, helping her run her rented farm on the Hahira, Cecil and Milltown Road
John S. Shaw was in the Army during World War I. He enlisted at Ft Slocum NY on August 1, 1914. Other Berrien county men who entered the service via Fort Slocum included Rossie O. Knight who enlisted at Fort Slocum, NY on August 31, 1913, and Carter H. Exum and Charlie Turner, both of Nashville, GA who enlisted June 22, 1914.
John S. Shaw was detailed to the Bakers and Cooks school at Ft Sam Houston, TX.He attained the rank of Sergeant 1st Class on June 1, 1917, and Quartermaster Sergeant on August 3, 1917. On August 15, 1917 he was detailed to the School for Bakers and Cooks at Camp Jackson, SC. where he became a senior instructor in cooking. He received an honorable discharge on October 19, 1918 to accept a commission.
He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Quartermasters Corps on October 20, 1918 and was stationed at Camp Sevier, Greenville, SC, apparently taking time off between assignments to come home to Ray City and get married.
John received an honorable discharge on January 7, 1919 and returned to Ray City, GA where he returned to farming. Mamie and John had a mortgaged farm on the Ray City – Milltown road. John worked the farm on his own account. Their neighbors included Paul Knight, and Mamie's sister and brother-in-law, Thursday and Albert Studstill. Mamie's father resided with the Studstills.
Children of Mamie Langford and John Sheffield Shaw:
1. Johnnie Shaw, born December 15, 1918, died April 1, 1925
2. Infant, born and died September 1, 1925


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My extensions are free!
If you use any of my extension at commercial site or you just like it, please donate me. It motivates me to improve the extensions and helps me to keep on working.
Thank You!
I have stopped developing joomla extensions because of my other works, but I won't turn off the site as long as possible so feel free download my Joomla 1.5 extensions. :)
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Veteran Educator Turns Around Cincinnati Schools
Mary Ronan | Superintendent
Cincinnati Public Schools
The first order of business for Mary Ronan as the acting superintendent of the Cincinnati school system four years ago was making big changes at more than a dozen of the city's lowest-performing elementary schools. Many of them had been plagued by stagnant student achievement for more than a quarter-century.
Four years later, none of the 16 schools that Ronan and her team targeted for special interventions is stuck in "academic emergency"—the lowest rung of the Ohio accountability system, and the label most of them shared before the turnaround. A dozen of those schools have reached the level of "continuous improvement"—the midlevel rating—and others have gone on to be rated "effective" or even "excellent."
"The first year [of the effort] was really hard," Ronan recalls. "We were asking our teachers to do a lot of extra work; … we got a lot of pushback. There were folks who said we should call it off." But at the end of that year, some half-dozen of the 16 targeted schools made adequate yearly progress, or AYP, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, something they had never achieved before.
"That was really the turning point," Ronan says now. That was when the other schools—and the rest of the community in this midsize city along the banks of the Ohio River—realized what was possible, she says.
The schools in what became known as the "elementary initiative" in Cincinnati first had to embrace some major instructional shifts. Each was required to offer 90-minute blocks each of reading and mathematics—as opposed to the scattershot scheduling that some had been using. Instead of whole-class instruction, teachers were shown how to divide their students up into smaller groups based on their abilities and needs.
And school officials created "data folders" to keep track of the academic progress of each student. Teachers were tasked with reviewing the data with their students every couple of weeks.
"That gave principals a tool to see how every child was doing," Ronan explains. "You're not just teaching to the middle anymore."
The schools' leaders, likewise, were given an extra boost of intensive training. Using money provided under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Ronan sent the principals of the elementary-initiative schools—along with teacher leaders—to the University of Virginia's educational leadership training program. She chose the University of Virginia program because it promised results, telling Cincinnati that it would be able to help schools make AYP—or gain at least 10 percentage points within two years.
"You don't get too many guarantees like that out there," Ronan says.
Training for Principals
As part of that partnership, which began in late 2009, principals learned to set goals, draw up 90-day plans for academic improvement, motivate teachers, and single out and develop leaders from within their existing staffs. Those strategies merged well with the new focus on data that was already at play in the district, Ronan says. University officials followed up several times, visiting the district throughout the school year. The 34,000-student district participated in the University of Virginia program for two years, then incorporated many aspects of its training into Cincinnati's own professional development for leaders.
The training was enormously helpful, says Ruthenia Jackson, the principal of Carson Elementary School, a K-8 school, which was part of the elementary initiative. Experts from the university encouraged her to "think outside the box," she says, and use the resources already under her control to greater effect.
With those lessons in mind, Jackson decided to test out some new strategies at Carson, including grouping 7th and 8th graders into single-gender classes. Discipline incidents—like office referrals and suspensions—declined significantly, she says. The idea worked so well that others in the district are planning to try single-gender classes in those grades next year. And the school, which had been in academic emergency, has now been rated "effective"—the second-highest ranking.
To help oversee the turnaround process, Ronan tapped Laura Mitchell, herself a former turnaround principal, to serve as the deputy superintendent in charge of the initiative.
Not every aspect of the turnaround plan has been easy, Mitchell says. Ronan gave her significant political cover when the city teachers' union pushed back on pieces of the turnaround effort, including staffing changes at four of the targeted schools that replaced nearly everyone—even, in some cases, secretarial workers and custodians.
"There were grievances filed by teachers that came in with her name on them," Mitchell says. "She took the heat."
Ronan continues to stand by those personnel decisions. "The culture was a culture of failure," she says. "We just didn't think we could transform a school without radically changing the culture."
The U.S. Department of Education made similar staffing shake-ups a key component of the School Improvement Grant program, the Obama administration's prescription for turnarounds.
Ronan also used economic-stimulus dollars to extend the school year, adding what she calls a "fifth quarter" in some of the district's most academically challenged schools. The program eventually added a month to the school year for schools taking part in the elementary initiative, and used the added time to pair academics with enrichment programs, such as art and music classes and field trips offered by community organizations in partnership with the district.
Ronan is hoping that community partners will help the district continue to offer the services now that the extra federal funding has dried up.
Ronan has also put substantial energy behind an initiative already under way in the district: community schooling. Nearly all the schools in the elementary initiative—and many others—now house a range of outside players, from tutoring providers to dentists to social service organizations for children and families. Mitchell and Ronan helped incorporate those groups into the schools' overall goals and worked to ensure that the services went to the students who needed them most.
The district's population includes a number of groups that have traditionally struggled to close the achievement gap. Seventy-three percent of the Cincinnati school system's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and nearly 70 percent are African-American.
Ronan also increased the number of "resource coordinators," whose job it is to make sure the community groups complement the schools' efforts, from just nine to 34 across the district. A resource coordinator might ensure that volunteer tutors focus on a particular student's areas of academic weakness, for example.
Longevity Pays Off
Ronan, 59, has spent her entire career in Cincinnati. She began in 1976 as a middle school math and science teacher, and later moved to a high school. In 1996, she became the principal of the Kilgour School, an elementary school in the district, which received a National Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in the 2001-02 school year. She then took on leadership roles with the district, serving as an assistant superintendent, and then director of schools, overseeing the districts' principals.
By the time she was named acting superintendent in 2008—she officially took over the top job the next year—she had served more than 30 years in the Queen City and knew it inside and out.
"I think it has made me more effective. You understand your community, you understand the politics," Ronan says. "I've developed relationships over the years. … I knew to whom to speak when I needed something. I wasn't groping around to figure out who the power brokers were."
Ronan has been able to enlist allies among everyone from outside donors—she's brought at least $30 million in additional grant funding to the district, according to Janet Walsh, a spokeswoman for the district—to classroom teachers.
"She probably knows more teachers than any superintendent," says Julie Sellers, the president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, a 2,400-member affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. "I think it has been beneficial for her to get buy-in. Teachers feel comfortable talking to her."
Sellers acknowledges that she and Ronan have had their differences. But when it comes to parts of the elementary initiative, including what Sellers sees as the prescriptive nature of classroom instruction in the turnaround schools, they are always able to come to a resolution, she says. And she praises the superintendent for trying out a range of strategies—from instructional changes to wraparound services—to improve the city's schools.
"There's nothing we don't do in Cincinnati," Sellers says. "These are the best urban, high-poverty schools in the country."
Vol. 32, Issue 20, Pages s8, s9Published in Print: February 6, 2013, as Veteran Educator Turns Around Cincinnati Schools
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Morgan Stanley (MS) said Tuesday that it recruited three advisors from rival wirehouse firms with a total of $3.7 million in yearly fees and commissions, while Janney Montgomery Scott announced early Tuesday that its advisors have been joined by a team formerly with Stephens.
Arthur Levine moved to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management's office in Ridgewood, N.J., from Wells Fargo Advisors (WFC). Levine, who has had 12-month production of more than $2.4 million, now reports to branch manager Peter Christou.
T. Samuel Coleman Sr. and T. Samuel Coleman Jr. joined Morgan Stanley in Pasadena, Calif., and Seattle, respectively, on June 7 from UBS (UBS).
The senior Coleman now reports to Cynthia Newman, the complex manager in Pasadena, and Coleman Jr. is reporting to Seattle complex manager Alex Burlingame. The father-son team has combined production of more than $1.3 million and prior client assets of $161 million.
Philadelphia-based Janney said 34-year industry veteran W.G. Simms Oliphant Jr., and 17-year industry veteran Christopher Smith are now part of its Columbia, S.C., branch office. The two advisors, who were previously with Little Rock, Ark.-based Stephens, collectively oversee about $155 million in client assets.
They are being joined by assistant Julie Boulware to form the S.C. Asset Advisors.
"Simms and Chris make a great addition to our Columbia office, as their success through the years has been defined by the way they serve their clients and the community," said Jerry Lombard, president of the firm's Private Client Group, in a press release.
"Like many senior advisors who have joined Janney, Simms and Chris had many choices but, after conducting their due diligence, the team was drawn to our financial strength, our client-centric support, our advanced technology and our ability to deliver all the resources needed to serve their clients," added Lombard.
Before his seven years with Stephens, Oliphant worked for Legg Mason from 2001 until 2005, when the firm transferred its business to Citigroup (C). He was with Wachovia for seven years before transitioning to Legg Mason.
"Along with moving Southeast Regional Manager Andy Kistler to our Charlotte, N.C., office, we have made efforts to share our story with like-minded advisors throughout the Southeast region and look forward to welcoming more top-tier advisors in the coming months," Lombard explained.
Janney currently has 735 advisors and some $58 billion in client assets under management.
Read Recruiting Roundup: Morgan Stanley, Janney Lure Reps on AdvisorOne.


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John and Linda applied for the same job. They were equally qualified, and each submitted an excellent resume that emphasized accomplishments, training, positive work ethic and dedication.
John included a general cover letter that outlined his career history and aspirations. To save time, he used the same letter to apply for every job opening he looked at. Linda put more effort into her letter. She found out the hiring manager's name and addressed him directly. She researched the company and learned about its mission, past performance, goals and corporate culture. She also studied the job description and clearly spelled out how she was an excellent match for that particular opening. Linda backed up her claims by highlighting examples of her past success.
Although the candidates were equally qualified, Linda's extra effort landed her a job interview. John never got called.
Research Before You Write
The more you know about the employer's needs, the more compelling your letter can be. Review company Web sites, brochures, sales flyers and other promotional materials to glean pertinent information. If possible, speak with current employees to get the inside scoop. Search newspaper archives, public libraries and career-center resources. Do a keyword search using the company name and see what turns up.
Here are a few resources to get you started:
Determine Your Unique Selling Points
With the knowledge that you have about the employer, how would you help achieve organizational goals? Set yourself apart: If there are 100 other applicants vying for the same position, why should the hiring manager take a chance on you? Make a list of the top five reasons you're an excellent candidate.
Construct Your Letter


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Rancho Santa Fe Living
If your interest is Rancho Santa Fe real estate and your focus is on a casual life style, the challenging game of golf, the world's finest year-round climate, or high ranking public schools, you are in the right place. Learn more about why San Diego is the choice for you.
Take a look at my latest video showcasing my featured San Diego property. Watch all of my videos to learn more about my homes.
Research homes throughout San Diego including Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, La Jolla, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Carlsbad, Carmel Valley, Encinitas, Leucadia, Cardiff and Solana Beach. Contact me any time and I will assist you in finding your new home.
Nancy White
Berkshire Hathaway Rancho Santa Fe
Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate
I have been a resident of the area since 1989 and a Realtor since 1985. I know your questions, and I know your real estate-related problems. I have the answers and the solutions. With my strong support team and the resources of Berkshire Hathaway behind me, I can take the stress and the guesswork out of your next real estate transaction. What I know for sure is you have a tremendous amount of real estate information available to you.
My job is to sort through all this information on your behalf and present you with the facts and figures that will allow you to make the most informed real estate decisions. It's one thing to have the data readily available. It's another to have a knowledgeable real estate counselor who will make sense of it all for you.
Call me today at (866) 800-6505 for more information.
Ready To Sell A Home In Rancho Santa Fe? Learn About Nancy's Strategies To Attract New Home Buyers
The benefits to my seller clients for all this involved analysis in setting a price is they will get a higher sales price in a shorter than average marketing time and with the minimal amount of inconvenience to them in their busy lifestyles. My solutions attract more buyers to you.
Finding the value of residential real estate is almost a science. It is not just about the bedrooms, baths, architectural style, size of lot and the neighborhood. It is more about estimating a future event - what it will sell for - based on what buyers will perceive the home's value and what the seller is willing to sell it for.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
by Matt Riley
A famous ship with Lewiston ties went down in the recent "Super Storm."
In the midst of Hurricane Sandy, the H.M.S. Bounty was lost to the Atlantic. Captain Robin Walbridge, along with crewmember Claudene Christian, tragically went down with the ship.
Leaving New London, Conn., on Oct. 25, the Bounty sailed south east into the storm while on course for St. Petersburg, Fla. Walbridge, who had been the Bounty's captain since 1995, posted on the ship's Facebook page "A SHIP IS SAFER AT SEA THAN IN PORT." An experienced sailor, Walbridge had been a captain and adviser on the U.S.S. Constitution when it set sail for the first time in more than 100 years in 1997. He spent two years sailing and training the crew of "Old Ironsides."
The crew of the H.M.S. Bounty was trained and prepared for stormy weather, "I've been through two other hurricanes with Robin Walbridge on the Bounty, the ship was in great shape," said crewmember Daniel Cleveland.
Walbridge's last communication came on the night of Oct. 27: "I think we are going to be into this for several days, the weather looks like even after the eye goes by it will linger for a couple days. We are just going to keep trying to go fast and squeeze by the storm and land as fast as we can. ... All else is well," he wrote on the ship's Facebook page.
The Bounty lost power and the use of its pumps and began taking on too much water the night of Oct. 28. The next day, 90 miles south east of Hatteras, N.C., and 160 miles west of the eye of the hurricane, the Bounty sent a distress signal to the U.S. Coast Guard. With a C-130 helicopter, the Coast Guard responded, saving 14 of the 16-person crew. Christian was found unresponsive and the search for Walbridge has been called off.
In 1997, the Bounty was brought to Lewiston as part of the village's 175th anniversary celebration. Without a crew large enough to make the trip to the next destination of Toronto, Lewiston residents were offered a chance to help sail the ship. Edward and Victoria DeVantier were on the committee that brought the Bounty into town and jumped at the opportunity.
"They told us right up front: 'It's not going to be a pleasure cruise, we need workers,' " Victoria said.
"This is how our grandparents and great-grandparents came over the ocean, working the sails. They didn't just sit in the down decks," Edward added.
Victoria expressed grief upon hearing of the ship's demise and the loss of Walbridge and Christian.
"I felt so bad ... because we had a personal relationship with the ship, the crew, the captain, who at that point they were still looking for. It's just sad," she said.
The ship was built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in 1960 for the film "Mutiny on the Bounty" with Marlon Brando. It was a replica of the original Bounty, which the film was based on. At 180 feet long and 115 feet tall from the water line, the Bounty had 16 sails equaling 10,000 square feet of canvas. In addition to hosting educational sailing programs and serving as a functional sailing ship and a tourist attraction, the Bounty was featured in documentaries and films, including "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."


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For this card I used glossy white paper and applied small drops of alcohol ink in different colors moving the paper around to get the alcohol inks to mix. Once dry (they do not take long to dry), I stamped the peacock image in VersaMark and then used white embossing powder and embossed the image. I was just playing around but I really like how the white embossing powder picked up all the different colors. Fun!
Here are some more cards. The top two uses Hero Arts border stamps. I did the same technique as the first card.
Just thought I would share some eye candy. Thanks for stopping by!


text: Remember in 1994, Upper Deck came up with a "The Future is Now Twenty-X Years Old" collection. It was like Mike Piazza Future is Now 24 Years Old or Ken Griffey Jr. Future is Now 23 Years Old or whatever. And it was just extra filler cards of nice young MLBers that you waded through in the hopes of getting a Michael Jordan? This is kind of like that, except The Future Is Now us talking about stuff we would have talked about anyway and the title of the post is December 17, which is in THE FUTURE!!! And what you're really hoping for is the BA Org Top Ten on Monday and a reasonable contract for Nick Swisher.


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Brave, the movie about a parasitic clump of red hair and the young Scottish girl it's chosen as a host, has grabbed the number one box office spot with a $66.7 million haul this weekend, making it the fifth best debut ever for a Pixar movie. It's also the second movie this year featuring an adolescent female archer as the protagonist, which, with just a few more iterations, could become its own esoteric Netflix scroll-thru genre. Even with some curmudgeonly-sounding negative reviews, Brave, Pixar's first movie with a female lead, should prove successful enough to merit as many sequels as there are phalangees on a Disney executive.
Box Office Report: 'Brave' Hits Bullseye With $66.7 Mil [THR]


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Event Phone: 0122996315
21st January – Taman Tasik Perdana
Repetitions of 400m with 90s rest in between each running set. The objective is to run each repetition faster than the previous. Start steady, finish very fast!
– Activation exercises
– Dynamic stretching running drills
– Main workout – different running session each week (e.g. fartlek, hill training, intervals, tempo run, time trial, stairs, etc.)
– Static stretching
– Complete an intensive training session in a safe and motivated group environment
– Receive feedback on your running technique
– Improve your strength, speed and endurance
– Learn from some of the best runners in Malaysia
– Have fun and meet new running friends!
– Suitable for all ages and abilities
– 1 class @ 40 MYR
- Tue, January 21, 2020
Venue: Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Gardens)
- The meeting point for the class is underneath the large yellow roof in the middle of Lake Gardens, next to the main lake.
- The main car park for Lake Gardens is located 500m after the guardhouse, next to the children's playground. Free parking is available, however it can get very busy, so allow extra time to park.
- ***Please note that the main car park is currently under renovation, therefore we strongly recommend to park either at 'Planetarium Negara' (then enter the gate and walk down the steep hill into Lake Gardens, then turn right at the bottom of the hill and walk 200m to the yellow roof) or at KL Bird Park (either within the Bird Park parking itself, or on the road just outside. You can then enter Lake Gardens at the Museum and go down the stairs). WhatsApp Jeff in advance of your class on 0122996315 for more information if needed!***
- The classes start promptly, so please be there on time.
- Small-sized valuables can be left safely during the class with the Coach.
- Please note that the classes will go ahead regardless of the weather. In the event of heavy rain, a runners-specific circuits session will be conducted in place of the running workout.


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(Pocket-lint) - Leica has announced its latest S-System camera, simply known as the Leica S. It replaces the Leica S2 medium format camera, ushering in a new scheme of nomenclature that drops the numbering system.
Designed to reflect the enduring quality of Leica cameras, the S and M-System Leica cameras will now simply be known by their system letters.
The new Leica S brings in a new design inside and out, with the highlight feature being the improved internals. The electronic upgrades improve the detail from the medium format CCD 37.5-megapixel sensor, with Leica claiming better handling of noise, more-natural colour and more-precise white balance control.
Autofocus has been improved, bringing speed and precision, with Leica saying that tracking of moving subjects means the Leica S sets new standards in professional action photography.
Not only is the AF system faster, but the memory buffer has been increased, supporting data transfer of up to 166Mbps, meaning you can capture 32 consecutive full-format RAW images, at around 1.5fps. You'll be able to capture JPEG files at selectable sizes simultaneously to offer you preview options as you work.
Externally you'll find the camera has a soft rubber grip for better handling, with a new rear joystick controller offering faster navigation of the menus and settings. The 3-inch display on the rear offers a sharp 920k-dot resolution and comes topped with Corning Gorilla Glass to keep it free from scratches.
The Leica S also has an integrated GPS module and comes with a licence for Adobe Lightroom 4, so you'll be able to trace your shots across the map and never get lost.
Aside from the upgrades, the Leica S supports the S-System lenses, although if you wish to use Hasselblad's lenses, there is a S-Adapter H to make this possible. That said, Leica has also announced three new S lenses: the Leica Super-Elmar-S 24mm f/3.5 ASPH super-wide; the Leica Vario-Elmar-S 30-90mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH; and the Leica TS-APO-Elmar-S 120mm f/5.6 ASPH tilt/shift lens.
The new Leica S will be available from December 2012 for £16,000. Don't worry, it's covered by the Leica Protection Plan, giving you a three-year warranty.


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St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 opened its doors Dec. 1, 1954, after an eight-year project that began in 1946 with the Women's Progressive Union of Covington speaking to churches, missionary circles, home economics groups, farmers and sewing circles.
In May 1951, under the federal Hill-Burton Law and Title VI of the Public Health Service Act, the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury voted a bond issue of $175,000 coupled with $240,000 in federal funding. This humble beginning shows a rare time in its history when St. Tammany Parish Hospital relied upon tax funding. Today's STHS receives no ad valorem tax funding, relying entirely upon its own operations, investments and the generous donors to the St. Tammany Hospital Foundation.
May 4, 1953, members of St. Tammany Parish Hospital Board of Commissioners participated in a ground-breaking ceremony for the $365,000 hospital. This would mark the first of many groundbreaking ceremonies over the next five decades, each successive project adding new capabilities and capacity to the growing hospital.
The original building was nearly complete in 1954 when officials recognized the need for an operating capital drive to enable the new venture time to become self-sufficient. Again the generous people of Covington showed their support, raising funds and donating items to furnish several private rooms, the nursery, the pediatrics ward, operating rooms, and even landscaping for the grounds.
The hospital opened as a 15-bed general hospital. Its first expansion was a 15-bed west wing, added in 1958. A 61-bed addition was constructed in 1966, and in 1974, a new wing including obstetrics was added. Expansions have continued with each decade, with the largest single expansion, dubbed the Millennium Project, tripling the size of the hospital, 1996-2003. It was a 203-bed hospital until the 2008 addition, which brought it to 223. The 2013-16 expansion brought the number of beds to 232. A 2018-2020 expansion plan will transition the hospital to all private rooms and increase critical care capacity.
Today, St. Tammany Health System is the largest hospital in the parish, serving the needs of its patients throughout the region with the latest technology and caring touches, delivering on the promise of world-class healthcare close to home. Current expansion plans include inpatient and outpatient services designed to ensure the hospital's ability to meet its mission into the future.


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Download the Florida Tech International Brochure
Get the
Facts a
bout the International Student Experience.
Everything an international student wants to know about going to Florida Tech.
Get information about academic programs in aviation, business, engineering, science and psychology.
Explore the day-to-day life on campus including housing, dining, clubs and organizations
Learn why getting a degree in the heart of Florida's "Space Coast" will make a difference in your future.
Start your graduate application checklist.
To receive this 8-page brochure with all the facts you'll need, fill out the form on the right.
International Brochure. Now!
Packed with information you can use to make one of the most important decisions of your life!
Florida Institute of Technology is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Institute of Technology. Florida Institute of Technology does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam-era veterans status or any other discrimination prohibited by law in the admission of students, administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment policies, and athletic or other university sponsored programs or activities.


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Duncan, Sebelius Unveil New CDC H1N1 Guidance for Colleges, Universities, and Institutions of Higher Education
Duncan, Sebelius Unveil New CDC H1N1 Guidance for Colleges, Universities, and Institutions of Higher Education
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Arne Duncan joined with Dr. Beth Bell, deputy director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to announce new guidance for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season.
The guidance crafted by the scientists and doctors at the CDC is designed to help colleges and universities start planning and acting now for the impact that seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on their students and faculty members, as well as other university employees.
Government officials are especially concerned about the impact of H1N1 in schools because the virus appears to spread quickly among younger Americans. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently found that younger Americans, specifically children age six months to 24 years, are one of the top priority groups when it comes to the new H1N1 vaccine.
"We can all work to keep ourselves healthy now by practicing prevention, close monitoring, and using common sense," Secretary Duncan said. "We know that some students may be affected by H1N1. Our top priority is making sure that they have a way to get well, stay well, and keep learning."
With this guidance, we're providing a menu of strategies that institutions can use to keep their facilities open while doing what they can to reduce exposure of students, faculty, and staff to the flu (particularly those at higher risk for complications from flu).
Secretary Sebelius stressed the importance of using innovative communications strategies to reach out to students who are some of the people most at-risk for H1N1 flu and highlighted new social media tools and on-line toolkits that have been created to help faculty, staff and students at colleges and universities.
"The H1N1 flu appears to be impacting a group of people who not only aren't used to getting serious cases of the flu but are not used to getting flu shots," said Secretary Sebelius. "They are also people who get their information in different ways and places than public health information has traditionally been given out. It is imperative that the public and private sector work together to reach students with critical information about the flu and teach them what to do when the flu hits their dorm room, fraternity house or campus classroom."
The Department of Health and Human Services created a special toolkit for administrators and students, as well some badges and widgets, that can be used on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
The new guidance suggests that the most important actions institutions can take are: to encourage and facilitate good hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes; to encourage flu vaccination for recommended groups when vaccine becomes available; and to separate sick people from well people as soon as possible.
The secretaries and the CDC stressed the need for different institutions to tailor the strategies to their own unique circumstances, based on their location, student population, resources and information from local health officials about the severity and spread of flu in their area, and encouraged them to partner with local health officials and others in their community to plan for the upcoming flu season.
For the complete H1N1 guidance for higher education institutions and the special H1N1 Higher Education toolkit, please visit http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/pandemic/index.html .


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Mediterranean Pizza Bagels
Enjoy the rich taste of a Mediterranean pizza. Buon appetito!
6 Thomas'® Everything Bagels, split and toasted
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 small green peppers, sliced in rings
1-1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 cans (2 oz each) anchovies, drained (optional)
In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and onion. Spoon 2 tablespoons mixture on each bagel half. Evenly top with green pepper, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Garnish with anchovy filets. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.


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Navy budget woes could impact Portsmouth shipyard
Navy implementing cost-cutting measures
According to a memo from Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert, the U.S. Navy is facing budget shortfalls, which will have a serious impact on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
To make up for those shortfalls, the Navy is implementing several new measures to cut costs.
The cuts include a freeze on the hiring of civilians, according to Greenert. The Navy is looking to reduce base operating support by 10 percent in the coming year.
Those cutbacks could significantly impact all four shipyards all across the country, including the Portsmouth naval shipyard in Kittery.
The four-page memo outlined what needs to happen until lawmakers pass a new defense budget.
The Navy is currently operating on the same funding it received under last year's budget, which it says does not provide nearly enough funds.
Meanwhile, workers at the shipyard are keeping an eye on the situation.
"It's been made clear to me, nothing is off the table," said Paul O'Conner, president of the Metal Trades Council.
O'Connor said the shipyard employs about 4,700 civilians.
He said besides the hiring freeze, the cuts could also postpone a number of shipyard projects, such as the remaining repair work on the nuclear submarine USS Miami, which was damaged last year by fire.
"It's impacting our strategic plan, it's impacting our ability to plan for training, for materials, you know it doesn't work if you don't know what the budget is," O'Connor said.
There's no indication when Congress may address the budget. In calling for Senate leadership to act to avoid any automatic cuts, Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said in part, "While I am deeply concerned about our nation's rising debt and believe Congress must look for balance and responsible ways to reduce federal spending. I oppose the indiscriminate, automatic across the board cuts to defense spending. Such meat-axe cuts would negatively affect jobs around the country."
O'Connor said, "Congress could have an epiphany and figure it out or we could be devastated by budget cuts that you can't possibly pay for."
The Navy memo also states that if the budget situation continues to go unresolved, civilian workers face possible mandatory furlough days -- as many as 22. O'Connor said that's one of his greatest fears.
"We're like everybody else. Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck," O'Connor said.
Officials at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard did not respond to calls for comment.


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Call us at 1-844-873-3700 to discuss your project or Subscribe to our email list to be notified when the season begins
Picea glauca var. densata
Black Hills Spruce is a subspecies of White Spruce native to the Black Hills of South Dakota. It has a strongly conical form, slower growth rate and denser foliage than typical white spruce, making it preferable as a specimen tree for smaller suburban lawns. It also responds well to pruning, and can be used as a hedge or even bonsai.
The Black Hills Spruce is a long time favourite of our Seed Plant Manager. She sees hundreds of varieties of different trees, but this one is her favourite.
These two-year-old seedlings have spent the first year in a greenhouse and the second outdoors in our bareroot fields. The fine mop of roots make these easy to plant and a great choice for any large scale project where competition may be an issue.
Our seed plant manager's favorite tree!
Stock Type: Bareroot
Age: 2 years (P+1)
Size: 20-47 cm (7.5-18.5")
ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROWNotify me when this product is restockedOr call 1-844-873-3700 to request this product when it becomes available
Zone: 2bHeight: 25 m (82 ft)Spread: 4 m (12 ft)Moisture: dry, normalLight: partial shade, full sunGrowth rate: slowLife span: longMaintenance: lowSuckering: nonePollution tolerance: mediumIn row spacing: 3 - 4 m (10 - 12 ft)Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Ships to Canada: yesShips to USA: yes
A huge assortment of trees, shrubs, and berry seedlings at prices garden
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